Seasons of Love
by A. Heiden
Summary: Buffy has a decision to make...


Dawn asked me today what my favorite season is, and it got me thinking. When you grow up in the land of eternal sunshine, the seasons aren't very distinct and I haven't really offered them much thought before. Now, after living in England for a year, I have most definitely experienced the beauty each season has to offer, but I still can't decide which one I like the best.

When we first moved from Rome to England to help Giles re-establish the Council, it was just the beginning of spring. The season when the sun comes out from hiding. The snow melts, nature awakes and everything is full of promise of a new life. It's a beautiful time because the grass changes from brown to green and flowers of all colors bloom. The days get longer and you can feel the air getting warmer as each day passes. Everything is rapidly changing in preparation for the coming summer, and there's just something about spring that invokes the allure of romance. For many love is in the air.

The idea that I would develop feelings for someone was unexpected. The fact that it was Giles was mind-boggling. Just as nature came out from its deep slumber, I felt like I had just woken myself, and found myself noticing the amazing man that had been in front of me for so many years. I think the fact that we were both away from Sunnydale meant that we were able to break free of the Watcher/Slayer relationship. I no longer had to act a certain way. I could be anyone I wanted to. I could be the real me. And by being the real me, I managed to see the real Giles.

At first, it was just that we were trying to mend our relationship and develop a strong friendship with mutual respect and understanding. It just happened that it took many long walks and dinners. During the weekends Giles would take me to picnics in Hyde Park, and one afternoon he showed me his favorite botanical garden. This led me to try my own hand at gardening and it has now become my most favorite hobby. Although mutual feelings were recognized it took us some time before anything happened between us.

It was on one warm Sunday afternoon, that what started out as a scenic walk by the Thames, turned into a full blown make-out session by the river bank. It was the first of many to come, and we spent the rest of that spring making out like teenagers. Anytime and any place we had the chance to do so. Giles has so many different ways to kiss me and I have yet to decide which one I love the most.

I love it when he nibbles my ear, kisses my earlobe, then traces my neck and jawbone with his tongue. He will tease with his lips. Pull away. Then lightly kiss my mouth. Then press harder. Kiss more passionately. Then finally let his tongue touch mine... Those kisses make heat pool in my stomach.

I love it when we kiss with our eyes open. It sounds simple and you might wonder what's so amazing about it. But just seeing the love in his eyes is enough to make me weak at the knees.

I love it when I have my eyes closed, and he sweetly kisses my top lip, then my bottom lip, then softly kisses both of them. Then he will slowly run the tip of his tongue along my lips almost like he is lightly licking them. It caught me off guard the first time, but since then I have been giving nothing but rave reviews. It's beautiful and sensual

I love it when he combines three kisses into one. First he starts out with butterfly kisses, where he lets his eyelashes brush softly against my skin. He will then give me an Eskimo kiss where he rubs his nose gently and adoringly with mine. Then finally he touches his lips to mine, gently at first, like butterfly kisses or Eskimo ones, and then slowly merges his lips with mine in a passionate union.

It makes my stomach just tingle when I think about it. Especially because I learned them all that spring. I truly think spring is my favorite season of the year.

Not to say that the summer isn't great. Who can resist the sunny weather, sunbathing and resting by the sea, camp fires and all sorts of out door activities? Plus, as Dawn pointed out, it also involves significantly less clothing, and what girl doesn't like to oogle at nearly-naked-manly goodness? But to be totally honest there is only one man whose naked goodness I am truly interested in.

The kisses Giles and I had shared at the end of spring exploded into a passionate summer romance, and it didn't take long before we succumbed to our hearts and bodies' desire. The first time we made love was more intimate and personal than I had ever experienced. The first joining of our bodies communicated a profundity of love that words coudln't convey at the time.

Sometimes our lovemaking was rushed, and we were barely able to make it through the door before we were tearing at each other's clothes. Then we would sink to the floor or join together up against the wall. Other times we would spend hours playing, mapping and caressing every inch of each other's bodies, exploring any bare skin we could get our hands and mouths on.

The best part of summer was when the summer heat was so sweltering that we came undone in each other's arms after sweaty slippery sex which was beyond erotic. Another delight was to make the kind of refreshing sex in front of the air conditioner, where we would end up pressed together for warmth as the sweat on our bodies cooled us, both too exhausted to move beneath the blankets in a bed.

When we weren't busy making love, we spent time soaking up sunsets, swimming at the beach, and kissing in the moonlight. We took walks outside, under the stars, while it was still warm. We would cuddle up at night beneath a blanket, not talking, just holding each other – embracing each other with unspoken love. We would share wine after dark, and if the beach was secluded, we would make love during the evening hours. On the hottest days we would stretch out on a hammock beneath the cherry trees in Giles' garden, the calm of afternoon sleep occasionally disturbed by the buzzing of the flies.

So, finally, like so many others I got to relish in an infamous summer romance. The wonderful thing about them is that they can feel like the greatest love of your life. Maybe it's the heat, maybe it's the fact that summer is so short and sweet, or maybe it is just plain true love when you're not looking. For me it was the latter.

It didn't take long for us. After we finally were together in a fully present and intimate way, it finally opened the channel of communication to allow for full disclosure of emotions and the expression of our innermost desires.

I remember the first time Giles told me he loved me. I actually cried. Thank god, Giles got a bit misty eyed as well when I was finally able to respond in full. I was happy to see that those words meant as much to him as they did to me. I firmly believe that my summer romance with Giles, as steeped in magic as it seemed, changed everything about the way I wanted relationships to be.

You know summer is saying the final goodbye when the leaves turn from green to yellow and then others turn into orange, red or even purple, and for many the summer romance comes to and end as well. For us, there was no such thing. I had found the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. At the end of summer I moved into Giles' apartment, while noticing that the sweet aroma of summer had turned into the smell of fall rain. I truly think summer is my favorite season of the year.

But then my thoughts turn to pumpkins, homemade pies, raking leaves, crackling fires and steamy hot cider. The leaves turn yellow, red and brown. It often rains, the wind blows, and leafs fall down from the trees during misty days. Fall is truly the perfect time for love.

I loved going for a drive in the country with Giles, and seeing all the pretty colors of the trees. We would bring a blanket and a basket dinner, and have a picnic and make love under the stars. I loved going for long walks hand-in-hand, laughing, talking and just taking enjoyment from the moment while kicking at the freshly fallen leaves. It would bring back a memory of a magic time as a child when a pile of leaves was so much more than a nuisance. We would hold each other tight and just fall into those leaves together. And among those leaves we would nestle close together with soft whispers and our breaths would be captured in the icy air.

I loved to lie in bed with him, completely naked with crisp clean sheets and the bedroom window wide open, listening to the rain pour down. We would breathe in each other's breath before we came together as one. Other times we would just sit outside, bundled up together, and watch the fall skies. When it rained, Giles would sometimes take me outside and slow dance while kissing me. But by far the best thing about this season was the slight chill in the air that promoted snuggling.

Our snuggling always carried a silent acknowledgment of our appreciation and understanding of each other. Snuggles communicate a thousand words when words would otherwise fail. We make it a point to include snuggling in our everyday life, so we show each other that we value the intimacy as well as the companionship.

And when you live with someone there are so many snuggle-filled opportunities! You can find opportunities on a blanket watching the stars. In bed, before we get up for the day. While reading a book together. Sometimes we snuggled in the shower together as the water poured down upon us, and other times it was in the spur of the moment just because we love each other.

Our arms would slip tightly around each other and we would just take time to notice the days growing shorter and life being lived to the fullest, before all becomes wrapped in the white silence of winter. I truly think fall is my favorite season of the year.

Then again, winter can be a haven for romance. The days get shorter and the nights longer. The icy wind blows, the snow falls all days and the temperature drops. Cold, wintery nights are the perfect excuse to get a little closer to my love.

We would play footsies in bed and stay in a little longer to keep warm on the weekends. Nothing felt better than cuddling up with Giles under warm sheets while listening to our favorite romantic slow songs.

I loved it when we sat curled up together on the couch while he read to me, sharing a blanket and body warmth. Preferably naked if I got my way, and thankfully Giles is not a hard man to convince when it comes to that. Sometimes we could spend hours sitting on the floor together playing scrabble while huge snowflakes made their way silently to the ground outside our window. Or we would share sensual fantasies by the fire -- which often lead to playing strip poker and then making love on the carpet while the heat and light from the flames caressed our skin.

On crisp bright days we would get warmly dressed and make snow angels or build a snowman, and Giles would make a big deal out of making his snowwoman wear the same smile as me. I loved to have a snowball fight or roll around in the snow, and then at the end of the day take a hot steamy shower or bubble bath together, while drinking hot chocolate.

But the truly best part of winter was Christmas. Giles would hang sprigs of mistletoe everywhere. One time he left one my headboard. Suffice it to say we spent most of that day in bed. Each day we hung an ornament with a romantic love note inside for each other until Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning we opened each ornament "love note" and shared them with each other, and then we made love underneath our Christmas tree. I truly think winter is my favorite season of the year.

I realize I'm not any closer on deciding on what season is my favorite. It wouldn't be such a big deal if it hadn't been for the fact that Giles asked me to marry him on New Year's Eve, and Dawn suggested that I pick the season most precious to us to perform the ceremony.

A smile spreads across my face as I realize that one vital part of solving this dilemma involves Giles' input. I turn my head towards the sleeping body next to me and press my naked body against his equally naked one.

It was during tonight's engagement party that Dawn had voiced her idea, and while we had planned to the discuss the matter when we came home, we had both been distracted by other delightful activities as soon as we stepped across the threshold.

I let my hands travel softly across his back while I whisper softly in his ear. "Giles?"

"Mmm?" Is his sleepy reply as he turns towards me and gathers me into a tight embrace.

"Wake up. We have unfinished business to attend to." I mumble into his neck.

I can feel Giles' grin against my lips as he rolls me onto my back. "Oh, is that so?" he asks playfully before tangling his lips with mine.

Oh well, we can discuss it another day.

THE END


End file.
